1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to accessories for portable digital media storage and playback devices used for on-line downloading, storing and playing digital media files such as, for example, MP3 (i.e., MPEG-1 audio layer 3) audio, WMA (Windows Media Audio) audio, MPEG-4 multimedia, and QuickTime multimedia files. More specifically, the invention relates in various aspects to a multi-function docking assembly, preferably remotely controllable, providing any of the following functions: signal transmission, signal relaying, remote control, remote video interface, power supply and/or charging, and authentication for portable digital media storage and playback devices, and methods pertaining to the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Media players of various types are ubiquitous throughout the world, and have evolved through various forms over the years, from portable single transistor radios in the 1950's to tape cassette players, to compact disc players, and more recently to portable digital media storage and playback devices that enable a user to obtain digital media files (e.g., by download from an Internet site) and store same in storage medium of a player in any of various preferably compressed formats for subsequent selective playback.
Preferred digital media storage and playback devices utilize hard drives and/or flash memory to store digital media files. A number of digital media storage and playback devices have been developed and are commercially available, including: the iPod® family of products manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc.; the iRiver® family of products manufactured by iRiver Inc.; the Nomad™, Zen™ and MuVo® families of products manufactured by Creative Technology, Ltd.; the Rio® family of products manufactured by Digital Networks North America, Inc.; the DJ™ family of products manufactured by Dell Computer, Inc.; the Lyra® family of products manufactured by RCA/Thomson Multimedia, Inc.; and the Yepp'® and neXus™ families of products manufactured by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Such devices having varying capacities but models permitting the storage of approximately 1000 or more commercial play length audio files are commonplace. Substantial memory capacity may be provided by the presence of a hard disk and/or flash memory, with certain models enabling the removal of flash memory cards in formats such as Secure Digital or Compact Flash. Digital media storage and playback device models having sophisticated displays are further able to store and playback image and/or video files.
Media storage and playback devices of the aforementioned type rely on batteries for their portability, and are typically provided with a headphones jack to which headphones may be connected to provide personal entertainment.
One problem associated with the small size and light-weight characteristics of portable digital media storage and playback (“PDMSP”) devices, as requisite to their portability and ease of use, is battery life. Another problem is the personal character of the headphone-equipped PDMSP devices. A PDMSP device may be equipped with a video display and a speaker, but its small size and light-weight characteristics limit the size of the display and speaker, making it less than desirable when a user seeks to transmit audio or video from the PDMSP device to a group of persons, such as in a room or in the passenger compartment of a passenger vehicle.
Another limitation associated with conventional PDMSP devices is their reliance on personal computers as a primary interface for loading, purchasing, and organizing media files. Aside from the expense attendant to personal computers, such devices are often tailored for and stationed in rooms designated for work—such as offices—and may be difficult to integrate with multimedia (e.g., television, audio, and communication) entertainment devices tailored for and stationed in rooms designated for recreation—such as living rooms or home theaters. An owner of a personal computer may desire to unwind by purchasing or organizing multimedia files for storage and viewing on a PDMSP device, yet avoid the process altogether so as to avoid the temptation to check email messages as they arrive to the computer. Additionally, furnishings in entertainment rooms such as living rooms and home theaters usually are substantially more inviting and comfortable than office chairs. Thus, a highly functional accessory device for interfacing with PDMSP devices, with such accessory being suitable for use in entertainment rooms and not requiring use of a personal computer, would be desirable.
Yet another limitation associated with conventional PDMSP devices is their absorptive entertainment quality, leading to the occasional difficulty of alerting the user to potentially important interruptions such as telephone calls. It would be desirable to provide an accessory device capable of alerting a PDMSP user to the existence of a potential interruption such as an incoming telephone call, of permitting the user to rapidly determine whether to receive the incoming call, and to conveniently initiate acceptance of the call while pausing or muting media playback to minimize conversational distraction.
Various accessories have been developed for use with PDMSP devices. For manufacturers and purchasers of PDMSP devices, it would be desirable to ensure and/or regulate interoperability between such devices and accessories intended to connect therewith. For example, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of a PDMSP device may wish to avoid warranty claims and/or reputational damage that might result due to operating problems or hardware failures (e.g., inferior sound quality, battery overcharging, etc.) when the PDMSP device is connected with an accessory device of questionable quality sourced by a supplier of unknown repute. It may be difficult for an end user to determine the quality of an accessory device without purchasing the accessory and possibly learning “the hard way,” i.e., through failure of the accessory or damage to the PDMSP device. Additionally, or alternatively, the PDMSP device OEM may wish to regulate the interoperability of accessories with the PDMSP device to derive additional revenue by producing accessories itself or by licensing to third parties the right to produce such accessories. Restricting by license the availability to preferred third party accessory manufacturers of proprietary interface components such as connectors can provide some degree of control to PDMSP device OEMs in this regard; however, such tactics may be circumvented by unlicensed parties with relative ease by copying such interface connectors.
Accordingly, there exists a need for improved accessories for use with portable digital media storage and playback devices.